This is the ‘real world’ equivalent of a bouncer at the front of every retail store, restaurant, library or little league ball park … Fill out the paperwork, sign the waiver - oops, I mean agree to the Terms of Service - and you’re in.

We’ve become numb to ‘opt-in’ … largely due to the fact that we’ve learned no click, no participation. Over time our pavlovian numbness also extended to co-opt, not opt-in techniques … No click, no data (this field required), no participation.

In short, we have direct marketers to thank for the words opt-in and opt-out. However, once turbo-charged by the Internet, they take on a whole new meaning. The one word that is noticeably absent in the interaction conversation is co-opt …

Co-Opt … to take or assume for one's own use; appropriate

Well, if someone has opted-in, they’ve agreed to give us their data (this field required), correct? It says so in the Terms of Service.